Lamination stacking machines

ABSTRACT

A lamination stacking machine is adapted to receive interchangeable heads so that the machine will accommodate a number of different size lamination plates using the same base and drive mechanism simply by lifting one head off and replacing it with a head of the desired size. The stroke of the reciprocating drive mechanism may be adjusted to the required stroke for the selected head.

United States Patent 1191 Macchione Mar. 26, 1974 LAMINATION STACKINGMACHINES [76] Inventor: John M. Macchione, PO. Box 1386,

Haines City, Fla. 33844 [22] Filed: June 15, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:262,942.

52 us. c1 29/2031, 51 11m. 01. HOSk 13/00, B23p 19/04 581 Field ofSearch 29/203 1., 211 L, 203 R,

[56} References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 234L834 7/1958 Mucchione29/609 2,842,838 7/1958 Macchione 29/203 L Primary Examiner-Thomas H.Eager 5 7 ABSTRACT A lamination stacking machine is adapted to receiveinterchangeable heads so that the machine will accommodate a number ofdifferent size lamination plates using the same base and drive mechanismsimply by lifting one head off and replacing it with a head of thedesired size. The stroke of the reciprocating drive mechanism may beadjusted to the required stroke for the selected head.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures LAMINATION STACKING MACHINES BACKGROUND ANDSUMMARY This invention relates to lamination stacking machines; and moreparticularly, it relates to improvements in lamination stacking machinesof the type disclosed in my U.S. Pat. 2,842,834 for Methods of ApplyingLaminations, issued July 15, 1958, and 2,842,838 for Apparatus forApplying Laminations, issued July 15, 1958. The disclosure of these twopatents is-substantially identical.

Laminations are thin metal plates which are assembled in superposedrelation in an electrical coil to increase the inductance, if it is achoke, or to increase the mutual inductance of it is a transformer.Normally, the coil is wound with an open center and the core surroundstwo legs of the coil, extending through the center of the coil. By farthe most common practice in interleaving laminations is to insert anE-shaped lamination (having a center leg of approximately twice thewidth of either leg or back) into the coil with its center leg extendingthrough the center thereof. An I-shaped plate abuts the distal ends ofthe legs of the E-plate to close the magnetic path about the sides ofthe coil. Interleaving refers to inserting alternate E-plates fromdifferent directions, and is distinguished from butt stacking whereinthe E-plates are all vertically aligned.

There has been a desire on the part of persons using lamination stackingmachines for building transformers and the like, to have a machine whichwill accommodate laminations of different sizes, as are used in makingtransformers of different sizes and power capacity. Machines arecommercially available to stack laminations in one-eighth inchincrements over a range of one-quarter inch through 2% inches. The sizeof a lamination is determined by the width of the center leg of theE-plate which is approximately the width of the opening in the coil. Allother dimensions of the laminations are, according to industrystandards, sized or proportioned relative to this basic dimension.

There have been attempts to provide lamination stacking machines whichare adjustable to accommodate different size laminations, but none havemet with commercial success. One attempt at an adjustable machineemploys a pair of chains which are arranged in conveyor fashion onopposite sides of a center location wherein the chains are equipped withlugs or pickers for picking laminations from the bottoms of magazineslocated on either side of the coil station and inserting them directlyinto the coil, interleaving the E-plates.

Of all proposed lamination stacking machines, to my knowledge, themachine described in my aboveidentified patents has been the mostacceptable. However, this type of machine cannot be designed so that asingle machine will accommodate different size laminations.

Having been familiar with this problem for years, I have found itdifficult to adjust any portion of a lamination stacking machine fordifferent size laminations if that portion contacts the laminations,particularly, if that portion supports the laminations while they arebeing pushed into assembled relation with a coil. The reason'for this isthat the laminations are coated with an oxide coating so as to insulateeach lamination electrically from adjacent laminations. This coating ishighly abrasive and is the major factor in causing wear in laminationstacking machines. I have found that even minor adjustments toaccommodate different size laminations will cause different wearpatterns in machine parts which engage the laminations, and this is aprimary reason for the lack of acceptance of machines that can beadjusted to accept different size laminations.

In the present invention, I have discovered that the accepted andreliable mechanism for stacking described in my above-identified patentscan be used in a machine with interchangeable heads, one for eachlamination size, and a common base to provide a system which can stacklaminations of different sizes without the need of a separate, completemachine for each lamination size.

In a typical transformer manufacturing or production facility, not allof the machines for stacking different size laminations are inproduction at'the same time. Those machines which are not in use arenormally stored in a remote area, leaving the production area free foruse with a different size machine to produce transformers of acalled-for size. Thus, the entire machine not in use merely sits instorage until it is required. Another problem encountered in productionfacilities of this type is that when a large order is received for asingle size transformer, a manufacturer would like to use as manymachines as possible to fill it. It would be helpful to use a largenumber of machines to work on that order. However, this becomesprohibitive economically when separate machines are required and thereis no assurance that large orders of the same size transformer willcontinue.

What is meant by a head is described in more detail below; however,briefly, it refers to the portion of the lamination stacking machinesdescribed in my patents which holds the laminations, picks them fromtheir respective magazines, and pushes them into assembled relation withthe coil. In other words, the head includes all of the portions of themechanism which store or load the laminations, or which engage or areengaged by the laminations, or which serve as sliding or bearingsurfaces for the moving laminations.

Thus, the present invention does not require widening the spacing of themagazine side plates which hold the transformers, etc., as is requiredin some prior attempts to provide an adjustable machine. In addition,there is the inherent advantage found in my previous machines that allparts of the machine which hold, support or transport the laminationscan be fixed, this is the head portion of the machine. All of thedimensions of the lamination change as the basic size of the laminationchanges, so that any machine that is based upon an adjustment in widthof the magazine or transfer mechanism would also normally requireadjustment of the gauging mechanism, adjustment of the pickingmechanism, adjustment of the stroke of the reciprocating member, if any,etc.

With the present invention, a manufacturer, given a special order with alimited time in which to produce the transformers, may simply buyadditional heads of the desired size and use his existing bases anddrive mechanisms since they are of fixed sizes and adapted toaccommodate heads of different sizes.

In addition, when it is desired to discontinue production of certainsize transformers, production can be containued with the bases for thosemachines, and only the heads need by transported for storage. With thesimple interchanging structure of the present invention, the changing ofheads is a very simple task.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentto persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description ofa preferred embodiment accompanied by the attached drawing whereinidentical reference numerals will refer to like elements in the variousviews.

THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a lamination stackingmachine constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the machine of FIG. 1 withcertain of the elements in exploded relation; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the adjustable cam for driving the cross head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown alamination stacking machine incorporating the present inventionincluding a supporting base generally designated by reference numeraland adapted to rest on a bench or table top, a head generally designated11, and a drive mechanism 12 mounted on the right side of the basel0.-The base 10 serves as a frame since it is a single casting. The base10 includes a relatively small lefthand pedestal 13, a central recessarea 14, and a right pedestal 15. A connecting portion 16 extends alongthe bottom of the base 10 between the pedestals l3 and 15. The head 11has one end supported by the pedestal l3 and the other end supported bythe pedestal l5, and it straddles the opening 14. The opening 14, ofcourse, is located below the center of the head 11, and it permits anoperator to have access to the bottom of a coil (one being shown anddesignated 17 in the drawing) for straightening leads, if needed. Thecoil 17 is held in the center of the head 11 at a coil station generallydesignatd by reference numeral 18 when laminations are being insertedtherein. On either side of the coil station 18 are located magazines 20and 21. Each of the magazines is similar, and they include respectivelyslots for holding a stack of I-plates, 22, 23 and slots for holdingstacks of E-plates 24, 25. The I-plates are located closer to the coilstation 18 than are the E-plates.

The vertical side plates for the magazines 20, 21 are mounted to thetops of first and second elongated side rails 27, 28 which form thesupporting frame for the elements of the head 11. The side rails 27, 28are secured together by means of lower transverse bars, one being shownin FIG. 2 and designated 30. Still referring to FIG. 2, a pair of slots31, 31a are machined in the side plates 27, 28 and they slidably receivea reciprocating slide, a portion of which is shown and designated 32.Located above the slides 31, 32 are machines slide surfaces 33, 34. Thestacks of E-plates and I-plates rest in their associated magazines onthe slide surfaces 33, 34. Picking and pushing mechanisms as describedin the above-identified patent are mounted on the top of the slide 32 sothat when it is reciprocated, for example from left to right in FIG. 1,an E-plate is picked from the stack 24 and it is conveyed along therails 33, 34 beneath the stack of I-plates 22 toward the coil 17. As theE-plate passes beneath the stack 22, an I-plate is picked from thebottom of that stack, thus forming a first pair of plates. Gaugingmembers are employed at the front of each of these stacks so that only apredetermined number of plates are picked, usually one. The l-plate isthen superposed on the E-plate and this first pair is brought to anintermediate position, as at 37 in FIG. 1 and deposited there. The plate32 is then reciprocated toward the left thereby gathering a similarsecond pair of superposed plates including an E-plate from the stack 25and an I-plate from the stack 23 which are deposited at an intermediatelocation 38 in superposed relation. Thus, when the slide 32 reaches itsleftmost position, it is ready to pick a third pair of platesagain fromthe magazine 24. At the same time, however, a pusher surface isintroduced adjacent the location 37 to push the previously depositedfirst pair of plates in that location into assembled relation in thecoil 17, the I-plate being on top engages a previously inserted E- plateto complete the surrounding of the coil, and the E-plate being on thebottom of the stack. Similarly, on the next leftward reciprocation ofthe slide 32, a fourth pair of plates is selected from the magazine 25and the second pair of plates is simultaneously urged into assembledrelation with the coil 17. Thus, for each reciprocation during normaloperation, one pair of superposed plates is being picked from a magazineand a previously-picked pair is being moved into assembled relation inthe coil, the final E-plates being inserted from alternate sides toproduce an interleaved stack. The mechanism for picking and pushing theplates is completely shown and described in my previous patentsidentified above, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference. Additional details may be obtained from those patents, ifdesired.

As mentioned, the present invention is directed toward a machine whichwill accommodate heads for different size laminations. Thus, the wordhead encompasses the structure described above and including themagazines 20, 21, the side rails 27, 28, the central core station 18,the reciprocating slide 32, and all of the mechanisms on the slide 32for picking laminations from the magazines, delivering them to theintermediate locations 37, 38 and thence inserting them into the coil17. Turning now to the structure which adapts the machine to accommodatedifferent size, interchangeable heads, reference is made to FIG. 2.

The pedestal 13 includes an upper horizontal surface 40 which isco-planar with an upper horizontal surface of the pedestal 15. These twosurfaces support the side rails 27, 28 of the interchangeable heads, andsince these side rails are located at different spacings depending uponthe size of the laminations, these upper flat surfaces just describedaccommodate the different size heads. A vertical pin 43 is provided inthe pedestal 13 extending upwardly of the surface 40, and it is adaptedto be received in a cylindrical aperture 44 in the transverse connectingbar 30. Each head has a similar connecting bar and aperture at one endthereof. The function of the pin 43 is to locate the head 11 and toprevent its moving in a longitudinal direction (that is, left to rightin FIG. 1).

A slot 44 is machined in the pedestal l5, and it extends in thedirection of reciprocation of the slide 32. A cross head generallydesignated 45 includes an elongated rectangular arm 46 which is slidablyreceived in the slot 44 and which includes an upper surface which iscoplanar with the surface 41 of pedestal 15. A transverse member 47 iswelded to the top of the arm 46 at a position remote from the head 11,and it includes a slot or way 48 which extends perpendicular to thedirection of reciprocation of the arm 46. At the distal end of the arm46, there is provided a vertical pin 49 adapted to be received in anaperture 50 in the slide 32. Thus, the interchangeable heads arereplaced or mounted to the base by lowering the apertures 44, 50respectively .onto the pins 43, 49. Preferably, the cross head 45 isfirst positioned in an extreme righthand position and the slide 32 ispulled to its right-most position, the aperture 50 being placed over thepin 9 prior to placing the aperture 44 over the pin 43.

Located above the pedestal is a rectangular cam housing 51 having acentral boss 52 in which is fitted a bearing 53. Within cam housing 51is a cam generally designated 54 which includes a vertical shaft 55which extends through the bearing 53 and is mounted to a pulley 56. Thepulley 56 is driven by means of a belt 57 which, in turn, is driven bymeans of a conventional electric motor. The cam 54 is thus driven inrotation. The cam 54 includes a cam plate 58 to the underside of whichis removably mounted a crank pin generally designated by referencenumeral 60. The underside of the cam plate 58 is seen in FIG. 3.

The crank pin 60 includes a locating pin 61 having on end received in anaperture in the cam plate 58, and the other end fitted with a bearing62. The crank pin includes two wing members 63 and 64 which areapertured for receiving screws 66 and 67. The screws 66, 67 are threadedinto corresponding internally threaded apertures in the cam plate 58.The bearing 62 is received in the slot 48 of the transverse member 47 ofthe cross head 45.

Referring again to FIG. 3, there are a plurality of apertures, three ofwhich aredesignated respectively 70, 71 and 72 in H0. 3 for receivingthe locating pin 61 of the crank pin 60. Each of the apertures 70- 72 islocated at a different radial distance from the center of the cam plate58 to adjust the stroke of the arm 46 and thereby to set the stroke ofthe reciprocating slide 32. Each of the apertures 70-72 is furtherprovided with a pair of internally threaded side apertures for receivingthe screws 66, 67 in attaching the crank pin 60 to the cam plate 58.

As the cam 54 is driven in angular rotation, the bearing 62 of the crankpin 60 reciprocates in the slot 48, thereby causing the arm 46 toreciprocate in a transverse direction.

As pointed out in my previous patents, the resulting motion is highlyadvantageous for this type of machine because the slide 32 is brought toa smooth stop at each end of a reciprocation, prior to reversing itsdirection.

In changing the machine to accommodate a different size head, it may ormay not be necessary to change the location of the crank pin 60,depending upon the size of lamination which the new head is designed tostack. For example, I have used the four separate apertures shown in thecam plate 58 of FIG. 3 to accommodate heads ranging in size fromone-quarter inch laminations up to 1% inches. Each of the apertures thuswill accommodate more than one different size head, depending on thecrank throw for the heads. A number of locations for the crank pin mayvary with design considerations, and it is possible to use only onecrank throw for all the different head sizes, although to do so wouldcause unnecessary travel in the smaller size laminations.

Having thus described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention,persons skilled in the art will be able to modify certain of thestructure which has been described and to substitute equivalent elementsfor those which have been disclosed while continuing to practice theprinciple of the invention, and it is therefore, intended that all suchmodifications and substitutions be covered as they are embraced withinthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lamination stacking machine for accommodating different sizelaminations comprising: a head for inserting laminations of a singlesize into a coil including lamination holding magazines and means forpicking laminations from said magazines and inserting them into saidcoil including a reciprocating plate; a base adapted to support saidhead and including locating means engaging a stationary portion of saidhead for defining the position thereof while restraining said head fromlongitudinal motion relative to said base; and reciprocating drivemechanism providing means for releasably engaging said slide of saidhead to reciprocate the same, said head being removed from said base andbeing replaceable by a head for different size laminations.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism further comprisesmeans for selectively adjusting the throw of said slide in discrete,predetermined increments to thereby define the stroke for different sizelaminations.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said reciprocating drive mechanismincludes a cross head having an arm extending in the direction ofreciprocation thereof and a transverse member providing a slot; arotating cam plate having a bearing received in the slot of said crosshead for reciprocating the same; one of said slide and elongated armbeing provided with an aperture and the other being provided with acorresponding pin to be received therein when a head is mounted on saidbase.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base includes first and secondside pedestals adapted to support a head and separated by a recesslocated beneath a head supported by said pedestals, each of saidpedestals defining a horizontal surface co-planar with the horizontalsurface of the other and adapted to support interchangeable heads ofdifferent widths.

5. Apparatus for selectively inserting laminations in interleavedrelation in a coil comprising a plurality of heads, each head adapted toinsert laminations of a different size in said coil and including areciprocating insertion member for inserting said laminations in saidcoil; a base including spaced pedestabls adapted to receive and supportthe respective ends of pedestals of said heads and adapted toaccommodate heads for different size laminations; means associated withone of said pedestals for locating one end of a head on said base whilepreventing longitudinal motion of said head relative to said base; adrive member reciprocably mounted in said other pedestal and adapted toreleasably engage said slide of said head; and drive means forreciprocating said drive member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising means for selectivelyadjusting the stroke of said drive member whereby as heads for differentsize laminations are mounted on said base, the stroke of the slidemember of each head may be adjusted.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said adjusting mechanism comprises arotating cam plate defining a plurality of apertures each located at adifferent spacing from the axis of rotation thereof; means for mountingsaid cam plate for rotation about a vertical axis; crank pin meansremovably secured to said cam plate and located by means of one of saidapertures therein;

a cross head including a transverse slot receiving a' bearing on saidcrank pin and an elongated arm received in a slot on the other pedestal,said drive arm being received in said slot to prevent lateral motionthereof while permitting reciprocation of said arm in a correspondingaperture in said insertion member.

II i t t

1. A lamination stacking machine for accommodating different sizelaminations comprising: a head for inserting laminations of a singlesize into a coil including lamination holding magazines and means forpicking laminations from said magazines and inserting them into saidcoil including a reciprocating plate; a base adapted to support saidhead and including locating means engaging a stationary portion of saidhead for defining the position thereof while restraining said head fromlongitudinal motion relative to said base; and reciprocating drivemechanism providing means for releasably engaging said slide of saidhead to reciprocate the same, said head being removed from said base andbeing replaceable by a head for different size laminations.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism further comprises meansfor selectively adjusting the throw of said slide in discrete,predetermined increments to thereby define the stroke for different sizelaminations.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said reciprocating drivemechanism includes a cross head having an arm extending in the directionof reciprocation thereof and a transverse member providing a slot; arotating cam plate having a bearing received in the slot of said crosshead for reciprocating the same; one of said slide and elongated armbeing provided with an aperture and the other being provided with acorresponding pin to be received Therein when a head is mounted on saidbase.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base includes first andsecond side pedestals adapted to support a head and separated by arecess located beneath a head supported by said pedestals, each of saidpedestals defining a horizontal surface co-planar with the horizontalsurface of the other and adapted to support interchangeable heads ofdifferent widths.
 5. Apparatus for selectively inserting laminations ininterleaved relation in a coil comprising a plurality of heads, eachhead adapted to insert laminations of a different size in said coil andincluding a reciprocating insertion member for inserting saidlaminations in said coil; a base including spaced pedestabls adapted toreceive and support the respective ends of pedestals of said heads andadapted to accommodate heads for different size laminations; meansassociated with one of said pedestals for locating one end of a head onsaid base while preventing longitudinal motion of said head relative tosaid base; a drive member reciprocably mounted in said other pedestaland adapted to releasably engage said slide of said head; and drivemeans for reciprocating said drive member.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5further comprising means for selectively adjusting the stroke of saiddrive member whereby as heads for different size laminations are mountedon said base, the stroke of the slide member of each head may beadjusted.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said adjusting mechanismcomprises a rotating cam plate defining a plurality of apertures eachlocated at a different spacing from the axis of rotation thereof; meansfor mounting said cam plate for rotation about a vertical axis; crankpin means removably secured to said cam plate and located by means ofone of said apertures therein; a cross head including a transverse slotreceiving a bearing on said crank pin and an elongated arm received in aslot on the other pedestal, said drive arm being received in said slotto prevent lateral motion thereof while permitting reciprocation of saidarm in said slot; and drive pin means including a drive pin secured toone of said elongated arm of said cross head and said insertion member,the other providing an aperture to receive said drive pin.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 6 wherein said locating means includes a locating pinon said one pedestal adapted to be received in a corresponding locatingaperture on said head, and said drive means includes a cross head with adrive pin adapted to be received in a corresponding aperture in saidinsertion member.